The time was still early. Following Pei Yusheng’s suggestion, the group headed to the martial arts club he had mentioned.
In Qi Ji’s memory, most clubs were little more than gymnasiums tucked inside shopping centers. He hadn’t expected this one to be so expansive—occupying three full floors with an adjoining outdoor training field. In truth, it resembled more of a small-scale training base than a commercial club, though the indoor facilities were polished and professional.
It was only upon entering that Qi Ji understood what Pei Yusheng had meant by “official backing.”
At the club entrance, two cars arrived, but He Xiu’s was stopped. Only after transferring to Pei Yusheng’s car could they enter. The club enforced strict access: unregistered vehicles were barred, and newcomers required an introduction and verification before gaining regular access. Essentially an official entity, it rarely opened to the public, with most members having military experience and occasional joint exercises with paramilitary units. Naturally, the level of training here far exceeded that of a typical boxing or martial arts gym.
After getting out of the car, they walked a short distance inside. With Pei Yusheng leading, the four moved smoothly through the club. Many people recognized him and treated him with great respect. Once they learned one of the guests was the former commander of the “Skywolf” unit, their courtesy deepened.
One staff member approached: “Captain He, is it? Coincidentally, our instructor, Jiao Guan, is also a Skywolf veteran. Do you know him?”
“Know him? Of course,” He Xiu replied. “Xiao Jiao? He was the last batch of recruits I trained before leaving Skywolf.”
“Truly a coincidence,” the staffer said with a smile. “He’s in class for another half hour, then we can call him to meet you.”
Jiao Guan, the top-level instructor, was one of the elite ex-special forces, training instructors from various units—the teacher of teachers, so to speak.
He Xiu nodded. “No rush.”
The four proceeded to the first-floor training area. After gathering basic information, Pei Yusheng went to handle the membership cards, leaving the others to tour the facility. Despite it being his first visit, the equipment felt familiar to He Xiu—standard military-grade training gear, practical and efficient.
Without any introduction, He Xiu naturally took the lead, explaining the equipment to Qi Ji. Pei Yusheng seemed to take a bit longer with the card registration. While He Xiu and Jing Wei were straightforward, Qi Ji, without military experience, might require more formalities. He Xiu took the initiative to help Qi Ji change into workout clothes, preparing to warm up.
Unexpectedly, Qi Ji’s performance exceeded He Xiu’s best expectations.
“Not bad, Qi Qi,” He Xiu said, raising his brow. “Looks like you haven’t forgotten, and you’ve kept up regular practice.”
Qi Ji adjusted the wrist straps on his gloves, cheeks faintly flushed from exercise. “I design for work, so I sit a lot. To keep fit, I train like this often.”
He left out his underground fighting experience entirely.
He Xiu didn’t doubt him. Ruffling Qi Ji’s hair, he praised, “Good, very good.” The boy’s hair was fine and soft, and He Xiu couldn’t resist smoothing it again.
But as his hand rested there, a low male voice came from behind: “Captain He, your card.”
He Xiu turned to see Pei Yusheng holding three membership cards just a few steps away.
“So fast?” He Xiu thought. The staff had said Qi Ji’s card might take a while, but Pei Yusheng had returned in minutes.
He handed over the card to He Xiu. As Qi Ji took it, Pei Yusheng adjusted the boy’s headband, brushing against the smooth skin. Though the contact was brief and cool, it left a subtle warmth. Qi Ji’s eyelashes fluttered ever so slightly, betraying a hint of nervousness.
“Mr. Pei…” the boy’s voice was tight.
“Does the headband fit?” Pei Yusheng asked.
“Y-yes, fine,” Qi Ji replied, quickly looking away.
He Xiu, seeing this, finally asked Pei Yusheng, “Second Young Master, aren’t you supposed to spar with me? Where are you going?”
“Upstairs, to the ring,” Pei Yusheng replied, stepping aside.
Qi Ji’s ears were already flushed deep red.
They went upstairs, Qi Ji and Jing Wei following. After a warm-up, they stepped onto the spacious ring. It was peak training time; the first and second floors were filled with members. Many knew Pei Yusheng’s skill, curious to see who dared step into the ring with the former Skywolf commander.
Qi Ji’s focus, however, was entirely on the two of them.
He Xiu, still active in the military, was at peak physical and tactical condition. Every strike drew gasps, even from those unfamiliar with him.
Pei Yusheng, though younger and retired for two years, kept pace. Their exchanges—fast, precise, powerful—rattled off dozens of moves in the blink of an eye. He Xiu’s initial caution gave way to full engagement. Qi Ji’s worry shifted: who should he be concerned for?
The match was intense, exhilarating. Onlookers were captivated, the crowd swelling as others paused their routines to watch. Both fighters refrained from deadly force, prolonging the bout and heightening the spectacle. True victory was nearly impossible without serious injury.
Finally, after a grappling exchange, they parted and lowered their fists. He Xiu relaxed first; Pei Yusheng mirrored him. The audience erupted in applause. Both men approached each other, touching fists briefly, sharing a quiet acknowledgment amidst the cheers.
Qi Ji exhaled, relieved. The bout had exceeded his expectations, but no one was seriously hurt.
Afterward, they cleaned up. He Xiu treated minor scrapes as Pei Yusheng, now out of the spotlight, observed.
“So, you and Qi Ji have known each other a long time?” Pei Yusheng asked, eyes lowered.
“Thirteen years,” He Xiu replied, smiling through rubbing his bruises. “He was tiny back then—only up to my thigh.”
Pei Yusheng asked, neutral: “You’re not from L Province. How did you end up in Qi Ji’s hometown?”
He Xiu sighed, recounting his early retirement, the political shakeups, and personal setbacks that led him there. He shared how Qi Ji, the first friend he made in that small town, had profoundly affected him, even altering his perspective on children.
Pei Yusheng remained quiet, processing this. He realized that Qi Ji’s tenacity and skill in fights weren’t innate—they were honed from childhood under He Xiu’s guidance. No wonder Pei Yusheng had felt, at that alleyway in Huating, that Qi Ji seemed trained.
But even so, Pei Yusheng thought bitterly, a child that young shouldn’t have had to endure such trials.
Recalling how sensitive the boy was to others’ gazes, and remembering the eerily intense eyes he had drawn while dazed after taking the medicine, Pei Yusheng couldn’t help but ask, “Those classmates… they bullied him just because his parents weren’t around?”
He Xiu frowned. “Not just that.”
Pei Yusheng felt he had stumbled onto something important.
Sure enough, He Xiu continued, “Qi Qi’s parents were both teachers before they resigned to start a business. His mother taught math, and she was a head teacher with consistently high-performing students—naturally, that drew some envy.”
“Qi Qi’s first and second-grade homeroom teacher was a middle-aged man, one of those jealous of his mother. Qi Qi got placed in his class and endured constant ridicule and public criticism. Even if he scored first in class, it was dismissed as luck or cleverness.”
At the mention of this teacher, He Xiu’s expression hardened.
“When Qi Qi’s family started doing better financially, the teacher’s jealousy only intensified. One time when Qi Qi didn’t get first place, the teacher took it further—he publicly scolded him for an entire class, saying he was arrogant and spoiled without parental guidance.”
He Xiu inhaled deeply before continuing, voice low: “Not only that—he made Qi Qi stand on the podium while every student lined up to berate him for being parentless. The harsher you scolded, the more praise you got from him.”
Pei Yusheng’s temple veins throbbed; a “boom” seemed to echo in his ears.
No wonder…
No wonder Qi Ji disliked being stared at so much.
Children speak without filters; they cannot comprehend the weight of hurtful words. Even peer bullying alone could scar a childhood. Add in a teacher actively directing it, and the damage becomes profound.
The worst part was that Qi Ji had no one to protect him. His parents were absent, his aunt and uncle indifferent—or worse, blaming him for trouble. And the person meant to guard him, his teacher, became the cruelest perpetrator.
Pei Yusheng had never delved deeply into Qi Ji’s early life records to avoid leaving traces, but he knew everything about Qi Ji after arriving in S City. Back in college, during the live-streaming boom, several classmates had suggested Qi Ji try being a streamer. He was short on money, and even as a side hustle, he could have earned pocket money.
Yet Qi Ji never did.
He couldn’t bear the intensity of being silently observed, even if those gazes were harmless.
Pei Yusheng had assumed Qi Ji’s icy exterior formed after his parents’ death. Now he realized those survival instincts had been forced to take root far earlier.
After a long pause, Pei Yusheng finally found his voice: “That teacher… humiliated Qi Ji for two full years?”
He Xiu exhaled. “Almost. Things improved a little when he got a new homeroom teacher in third or fourth grade.”
“But…” He Xiu hesitated, then said, “I transferred there in the second semester of second grade. Once I found out, I… dealt with it. The latter half of that year, that teacher restrained himself a bit.”
Pei Yusheng looked up. “Dealt with it?”
He Xiu cleared his throat: “Yes. I was still young and hot-headed then. I knew there were better ways, but I chose the most direct method.”
“I put that teacher in a sack and beat him thoroughly.”
Pei Yusheng: “….”
His silence wasn’t disapproval—he simply realized He Xiu had done what he most wanted to.
“I made him swear never to bully Qi Qi again. I was young, reckless; now, I’d handle it more appropriately. But back then… that was the only way.”
He Xiu added, “The teacher complained, so I did it a second time. Then I sat outside their classroom for a few days to ensure he dared not bully anyone again before leaving.”
He sighed. “Still, I was late. Some damage can’t be undone. If I’d arrived a year earlier, Qi Qi wouldn’t have endured so much.”
Pei Yusheng, listening, remained silent for a long time.
When Jing Wei knocked on the changing room door, the heavy conversation finally ended.
By the time He Xiu left the room, Jiao Guan had been waiting, and the two veterans had a long catch-up. Pei Yusheng, showing tact, went to find Qi Ji first.
Half an hour later, after the meeting ended, He Xiu saw the familiar slender figure on the first-floor training area—Qi Ji, practicing with Pei Yusheng.
He intended to walk over but gradually stopped, sensing something was off.
Qi Ji was stiff, clearly unable to hide it, whenever Pei Yusheng touched him. His ears flushed red at even minor contact.
He Xiu frowned. Qi Ji was usually sensitive to pain and very aware of his surroundings, but normal contact never had this effect—especially not when He Xiu had just guided him through exercises.
Watching closely, He Xiu noticed that Qi Ji avoided even making eye contact with Pei Yusheng.
…Could it be that Qi Ji liked Pei Yusheng?
The thought shocked He Xiu. His eyes lingered on them, incredulous.
But…
He remembered Pei Yusheng’s affections should be for Wen Chuming, right?